Partners And Lovers
by badly-knitted
Summary: Dee and Ryo love each other, but sometimes the job has to take priority. Written for Challenge 3: Oath at slashficlets. Set after Like Like Love.


**Title:** Partners And Lovers

**Author:** badly-knitted

**Characters:** Ryo, Dee, OC.

**Rating:** PG

**Setting:** After Like Like Love.

**Summary:** Dee and Ryo love each other, but sometimes the job has to take priority.

**Word Count:** 952

**Content Notes:** Mild violence.

**Written For: **Challenge 3: Oath at slashficlets.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.

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As much as they love each other, as much as their entire existence revolves around each other, Ryo and Dee are still first and foremost officers of the law. They take their jobs and responsibilities seriously, and they know they can't allow their very personal relationship to get in the way of catching criminals, making the streets of New York safer for the rest of the city's inhabitants, most of whom are decent, law abiding people. When they graduated from the police academy they swore an oath, to protect and to serve, and that oath has to come before anything else, even their own safety, no matter what.

So when they're chasing a man they know for certain is responsible for a string of brutal assaults, when he spins around, gun in hand, and fires wildly at them, when one of his barely aimed shots ricochets off the side of a dumpster with a metallic whine, and when the bullet hits Dee in the thigh, taking him down mid-stride…

Everything in Ryo screams as if he's taken the bullet himself. More than anything he wants to drop to his knees beside the man he loves with all his heart, doing his best to staunch the bleeding while radioing for assistance, but he can't let the fugitive make his escape. If they lose him now he could go to ground, even leave the city and start afresh somewhere else. He spares no more than a glance for his partner as Dee yells that he's okay and to keep going.

This wasn't personal but now it is; all the fleeing man has succeeded in doing is giving Ryo one more reason to capture him and make certain he pays for his crimes. He's not getting away with this and Ryo swears a silent oath to that effect as he pounds along the alleyway and around the corner, just in time to see his quarry dart into another alley on the other side of the street. Ryo barely registers the traffic as he darts between cars, service weapon in one hand, badge in the other, flashing it at motorists as they brake hurriedly to avoid hitting him. Not that the badge should be necessary. His police issue vest should be enough to clue them in.

Shots greet him as he swings into the alley and he throws himself aside, into the meagre shelter of a recessed doorway, then darts out and returns fire, the grip of the automatic clasped firmly in his right hand, braced with his left as he fires twice in quick succession. The other man is armed with a revolver, and he's shooting one-handed; it's clear he doesn't have much experience with firearms, but he's already hit Dee, even if that was mostly by chance. Ryo doesn't plan on giving him another opportunity; he's one of the best marksmen in the city and both his shots hit their targets, the first knocking the gun from the fugitive's hand, the second hitting him in the shoulder, throwing him off his feet.

Ryo stalks towards the downed man, already radioing in for assistance, a couple of ambulances, one for his captive and one for his partner. Dispatch tells him Dee already called in, requesting an ambulance for himself and backup for Ryo; both are on their way, ETA four minutes. Some of the tension drains out of Ryo; if Dee's able to call in their situation then he can't be as badly injured as Ryo had feared. He bends over the man he's just shot, holstering his weapon and cuffing the bastard's hands together, in front of him rather than behind his back. A tiny part of him might have felt some satisfaction at making this vicious monster suffer, but he resists the temptation because he's not a sadist, and besides, he doesn't need a charge of police brutality on his otherwise spotless record.

He checks for concealed weapons just to be safe, but the prisoner isn't much of a threat now; he's too busy groaning and whimpering on the trash-strewn ground. Ryo has no sympathy for him; maybe now he's finally getting to experience a little of what his victims have endured.

Securing the dropped revolver, Ryo pulls out his phone and calls Dee. His partner answers almost immediately.

"Hey, babe. You okay?"

"I should be asking you that; you're the one got shot."

"Nah, it's not much more 'n a graze, in and out. I'd rather be hit by an accidental ricochet than a well-aimed bullet; still gonna need cleanin' and stitchin', but it could'a been a lot worse. Listen, ambulance in pullin' up. You get our guy?"

"I got him; shot him through the shoulder. He'll live. Probably. I'll see you at the hospital; he'll need treatment before we can book him."

"Knew I could count on you." Voices interrupt, filtering faintly through the phone and Ryo hears Dee sigh and reply. "Fine, I'm hangin' up! Gotta go, bud. Don't be too gentle with that bastard."

Ryo knows he won't feel completely happy until he sees for himself that his lover is okay, but for the moment hearing Dee's voice is reassurance enough. There are sirens approaching his position; pretty soon he'll be on his way to the hospital with his captive, and Dee should be getting treatment in the ER by the time he gets there. Tonight he and Dee can hold on to each other, cling together if they need to, thankful that they're both more or less in one piece, but for now Ryo has his police oath to uphold. To protect and to serve; by getting this piece of scum off the streets he'll be doing both.

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The End


End file.
